Balanced support mechanism for a linearly movably current collecting head

ABSTRACT

A balanced support mechanism for a collector head guided in a longitudinal current supplying passageway which extends parallelly to the trackway of a high-speed vehicle. The mechanism is pivotally attached to the vehicle and comprises a counterweight tending to maintain the collector head in neutral equilibrium. The counterweight is sustained by a pantograph or by a telescoping arrangement.

United States Patent 1191 Laurent [111 3,786,204 1451 Jan. 15,1974

[ BALANCED SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR A LINEARLY MOVABLY CURRENT COLLECTINGHEAD [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Merlin Gerin, Societe Anonyme,

Grenoble, France 22 Filed: Aug. 2, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 167,912

Daniel Laurent, Grenoble, France [30] Foreign Application Priority DataMay 11, 1971 France 71.17071 [52] US. Cl. 191/48, 191/66 [51] Int. ClB60] 5/12 [58] Field of Search 191/48, 45, 47, 66, 191/67-70 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS.

2,700,705 1/1955 Anjeskey et a1. 198/48 X Primary Examiner-Gerald M.Forlenza, Assistant Examiner-R. B. Johnson AttorneyStevens, Davis et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A balanced support mechanism for a collector head guidedin a longitudinal current supplying passageway which extends parallellyto the trackway of a highspeed vehicle. The mechanism is pivotallyattached to the vehicle and comprises a counterweight tending tomaintain the collector head in neutral equilibrium. The counterweight issustained by a pantograph or by a telescoping arrangement.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJM 15 1am FIG.2

SHEET 2 0F 4 PATENIEDJAK 15 m4 3786204 saw u or 4 BALANCED SUPPORTMECHANISM FOR A LINEARLY MOVABLY CURRENT COLLECTING HEAD The inventionrelates to a balanced currentcollecting head support mechanism for usewith a highspeed vehicle movable along a trackway.

A device of this kind is described in the copending US. application Ser.No. 105,300, entitled Balanced Support System for a Current Collector,especially for Vehicles with Ground Effect, and assigned to MER- LINGERIN, assignee of the present invention. In this device, the collectorhead is guided in a passageway extending parallelly to the trackway andcomprising a plurality of current supplying conductor rails, generallythree to define a three-phase supply system, which are symmetricallydisposed around the collector head. The collector head comprises foreach rail a row of contact shoes which are resiliently biased againstthe rail so that the collector head is guided in the passageway by theconductor rails. In order not to disturb the equilibrium of thecollector head at high drive speeds of the vehicle, the supportmechanism connecting the collector head to the vehicle has an armdepending from the vehicle and an end of which is swingably attached tothe center of inertia (center of gravity, of mass) of the collectorhead. The arm is connected to a balanced support mechanism carried bythe vehicle and permitting the collector head toexecute small movementsaround its mean position with respect to the vehicle, such movementsresulting for instance from irregularities of the trackway and of thetrajectory of the conductor rails or from transversal inertia movementsof the vehicle and of the collector head.

The support system described in the above mentioned applicationcomprises a relatively great number of jointed bars and it is an objectof the present invention to improve this prior art support system withrespect to simplicity of construction and of operation, bulkiness, costprice and liability.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple supportmechanism for a high-speed linearly moving collector head wherein theentire support mechanism ispivotally mounted on a single pivot axis ofthe vehicle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a balanced supportmechanism of the kind mentioned having a counterweight sustained in avery simple manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an advantageousarrangement of the current supplying conductor laterally of the vehiclepermitting to connect the collector head to the vehicle by a short,substantially horizontal arm.

These and other features and advantages will become apparent uponreading of the following description of several embodiments shown in theannexed drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a schematic view, in perspective, of a vehicle equipped with acurrent collector head in accordance with the invention, a part of thecollector track being broken away in order to show the collector head.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 showing a detail of thelatter, a part of the covering being broken away.

FIG. 3 shows schematically the diagram of the forces for two differentpositions of the articulated system.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view ,of another embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 1, a vehicle 10 adapted to move over a track 12 formed in knownmanner of an inverted T-beam is supported by a fluid cushion formedbetween the track 12 and, the base of the vehicle 10 and is propelled byan electric linear motor (not shown). Parallel to and along the track12, there extends an electric current distribution system 14, consistingof three conductive rails 16 arranged in known manner along the edges ofa right prism with triangular base. Within the passageway defined by therails 16 there can slide a current collector head 18 which bears brushes20 which are elastically urged into contact with the rails 16 so as tocollect the electric current and mechanically to guide the head 18 uponits displacement along the track. The vehicle 10 is guided and supportedon the track 12 by fluid cushions, the thickness of which is generallyso that the relative position of the vehicle 10 with respect to the head18, guided by the track 14, varies during the displacement of thevehicle. The connection 22 between the collector head 18 and the vehicle10 is adapted to compensate for said variations in positioning whilebeing capable of transmitting only the traction force to the head 18.The mechanical connection 22 is of course supplemented by an electricalconnection (not shown) adapted to transmit to the vehicle 10 the currentwhich has been collected.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3 which show a firstembodiment of the invention, it is seen that the collector head issupported by an arm 22 whose free end bears a ball 24 which is housed ina corresponding socket of the collector head 18 located at the center ofgravity (of mass; inertia) of the latter. The ball 24 permits freepivoting in all directions of the head 18 with respect to the supportarm 22, the amplitude of this pivoting being of course limited by thestructural characteristics of the collector head. The arm 22 consists ofan extension of one of the sides of a pantograph mechanism 25 comprisingtwo parallel long sides 26, 28 pivotally connected to two parallel shortsides 30, 32. The side 32 has an extension 34 hearing a counterweight 36at its free end. The connection 38 of the sides 28, 30 opposite thesides 26, 32 respectively bearing the collector head and the counterweight consists of a transverse pivot axis 40 rigidly fastened to thevehicle 10 (see FIG. 4). The photograph system 25 is so arranged thatthe ball 24, the transverse axis 38, 40 and the center of gravity of thecounterweight 36 are aligned. In practice, it is advisable also to takeinto account the weight of the different connecting rods, but forreasons of simplicity of description, this weight is assumed to benegligible. The ratio of the distance c, from the axis 38 to the centerof gravity of counterweight 36 and 0 from the axis 38 to the ball 24 isinversely proportional to the ratio of the masses of the counterweight36 and the collector head 18. A variation in the distance c of thecollector head from the vehicle is permitted by deformation of thepantograph 25. One of the well-known properties of this type ofarticulated parallelogram, generally known as a pantograph, is that itretains the ratio of the lengths c, to c during their deformation. Themass M of the counter weight 36 is selected in such a manner as tobalance the mass N of the collector head 18 and it can easily be seenthat this balancing is retained in any position of the pantograph 25,the relationship M c, N applying at all time. If one designates by a andb respectively the vertical and horizontal components of the length 0and a and b the corresponding components of the length 0 it is easilyseen that the relationship M g b N g b in which g represents theacceleration of gravity, is also verified for any position of thepantograph. This equality shows that the weight of the collector head isat all times balanced by the weight of the counterweight whatever itsposition relative to the vehicle 10. The relationship M w ra N w ra inwhich the expression w r repesents centrifugal acceleration is alsofullfilled at all times.

The arm 22 is preferably shaped in the form of a wing profile so as todecrease drag resistance at the high speeds reached by the vehicle andthe transverse shaft 40 as well as the parts of the pantograph 25 arehoused within a recess 42 provided in the side wall of the vehicle 10. Aremovable cover or panel 44 assures continuityof the side wall of thevehicle permitting the passage only of the arm 22 which is the only partof the support device outside the vehicle. This particular constructionmakes it possible to protect fragile parts such as the pivot connectionsof the articulated system. The levers 26, 28 are advantageously of thetriangulated type, so as to impart substantial rigidity to the assemblyand the levers 30, 32 are formed of pairs of small connecting rods whichsurround the triangulated levers 26, 28. The collector head 18 is heldin neutral equilibrium whatever its position with respect to the vehicle10.

The position A shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to a high position of thevehicle 10 with respect to the collector head 18. with lateraldisplacement towards the left. The position B is the opposite extremeposition, that is to say the low position of the vehicle with lateraldisplacement towards the right and it is obvious that the vehicle canassume any intermediate position. FIG. 4 shows a variant embodiment ofthe invention in which the collector head 18 is supported by the arm 22which is extended by a rod 40 which is slidably mounted within a tubularsupport 48. The end 50 of the tubular support 48 is mounted for rotationon trunnions 52, 54 in bearings 56 and 58 respectively which are rigidlyconnected with the vehicle 10. The coaxial trunnions 52, 54 extendparallel to the general direction of the tracks in the manner describedabove so as to permit a fluttering movement of the arm 22 in a planeperpendicular to said direction of the tracks. The trunnions 52, 54correspond to the axis of articulation 40 of the variant shown in FIGS.1 and 2.

The rod 46 is advantageously cylindrical and in known manner, a togglejoint 60, one of the legs of which is articulated to the end 50 and theother to the rod 46 prevents any movement of rotation of the rod aroundits axis. The assembly constitutes a telescopic device articulated bythe trunnions 52, 54. A counterweight 62 is slidably mounted on theouter part of the tubular support 48 and is mechanically connected tothe rod 40 in such a manner that any displacement of the latter withrespect to the support 48 imposes a corresponding displacement inopposite direction on the counterweight 62. In the example shown in FIG.4, the mass of the counterweight 62 is equal to that of the collectorhead 18 and the assembly is arranged in such a manner that the collectorhead and the counterweight are at all times in symmetrical positionswith resppct to the axis defined by the trunnions 52, 54. The assemblyis substantially balanced for any position of the telescopic device, thevariations, due to the unbalanced mass of the arm 22, being practicallynegligible.

The transmission of movement between the rod 46 and the counterweight 62can be effected in any manner well-known to those skilled in the art,and by way of example a connecting system by notched belt has been shownschematically in FIG. 4. The tubular support 48 has two groovesextending along two generatrices, an endless belt in the form of anotched belt 64, 66 being housed in each of said grooves. Each belt 64,66 is stretched between two end reversing pulleys 68, 68' and 70, 70',the two strands of the belt extending parallel from the outer and innersurfaces, respectively, of the tubular support 48. The counterweight 62is rigidly connected with the outer strands of each of the belts 64, 66by fasteners 72, the rod 46 being connected to the inner strands of eachof the belts by fasteners 74. It is easy to see that the displacement ofthe collector head 18 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4causes a movement of the lower strand of the belts 64, 66 in thedirection indicated by the arrow, the upper strands moving obviously inopposite direction and driving, via the fasteners 72, the counterweight62 along in opposite direction.

The invention is of course in no way limited to a device employing acounterweight of the same mass as the collector head 18 and it is clearthat in the case of a counterweight having a mass different of that ofthe collector head it is necessary to provide a gearing up or down ofthe sliding movements by any suitable system, for instance bygearwheels, so as to maintain the desired balance. The sliding supportsystem shown in FIG. 4 has been more particularly described in ahorizontal mounting but such a system is also suitable for oblique forvertical mounting in which the shaft 52, 54 is supported by a side tinof the vehicle 10. The assembly is obviously streamlined in a mannerknown per se in order to limit the drag at the high speeds reached bythe vehicle.

What is claimed is:

l. A mechanism for use with a high speed vehicle movable along atrackway to drive and support a current collecting head guided in alongitudinal current supplying passageway extending parallelly to saidtrackway, said mechanism comprising rod means extending substantiallytransversely of the longitudinal direction of said passageway and havingan end swingably connected to said collector head substantially in thecenter of inertia thereof, a counterweight, linkage means connectingsaid rod means to said counterweight and extending substantiallytransversely of said longitudinal direction, and a pivot axis on saidvehicle extending substantially parallelly to said longitudinaldirection, said linkage means being pivotally connected to said pivotaxis and adapted to cause said counterweight to move in response totransverse movements of said collector head in a manner such that thecenters of inertia of said counterweight and of said collector head andsaid pivot axis are substantially aligned whereby the ratio of thedistances of said centers to said pivot axis is selected substantiallyreciprocal of the ratio of the respective masses of said counterweightand of said collector head for all relative positions of said collectorhead.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said linkage means comprisepantograph means, said rod means being integral with a first bar of saidpantograph means, said counterweight being sustained by a second bar ofsaid pantograph means pivotally connected to said first bar.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising guide means toguide said counterweight along a line substantially perpendicular tosaid longitudinal direction and passing substantially through said pivotaxis and the center of inertia of said collector head, said pivot axisbeing arranged intermediate said counterweight and said collector head,said linkage means being adapted to cause said counterweight to movealong said line in a direction opposed to the direction of movement ofsaid collector head.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3, said guide means comprising atubular guiding arm pivotally mounted on said pivot axis and intelescoping relationship with said rod means and said counterweight.

5. A mechanism according to claim 4, said linkage means comprisingendless flexible belt means having a first side secured to saidcounterweight and a second side engaging said rod means.

6. A vehicle comprising a mechanism according to claim 1, said rod meanscomprising an arm extending laterally from said vehicle to support saidcollector head.

7. A vehicle according to claim 6,. said arm extending normallysubstnatially horizontally from said vehicle.

8. A vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising a stream-linedhousing for said arm.

9. An electrical distribution and current-collecting system for avehicle guided along a trackway, comprising three equidistanttriangularly disposed current supplying conductor rails extendingparallelly to said trackway and defining a passageway for a collectorhead laterally of said vehicle, a collector head having a longitudinalrow of contact shoes for each conductor rail adapted for sliding contacttherewith within said passageway, a support arm extending substantiallyhorizontally from said vehicle and having an end swingably connected tosaid collector head substantially in the center of inertia thereof, theopposed end portion of said arm being connected to a balanced supportmechanism carried by said vehicle and tending to maintain said collectorhead in neutral equilibrium within said passageway.

1. A mechanism for use with a high speed vehicle movable along atrackway to drive and support a current collecting head guided in alongitudinal current supplying passageway extending parallelly to saidtrackway, said mechanism comprising rod means extending substantiallytransversely of the longitudinal direction of said passageway and havingan end swingably connected to said collector head substantially in thecenter of inertia thereof, a counterweight, linkage means connectingsaid rod means to said counterweight and extending substantiallytransversely of said longitudinal direction, and a pivot axis on saidvehicle extending substantially parallelly to said longitudinaldirection, said linkage means being pivotally connected to said pivotaxis and adapted to cause said counterweight to move in response totransverse movements of said collector head in a manner such that thecenters of inertia of said counterweight and of said collector head andsaid pivot axis are substantially aligned whereby the ratio of thedistances of said centers to said pivot axis is selected substantiallyreciprocal of the ratio of the respective masses of said counterweightand of said collector head for all relative positions of said collectorhead.
 2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said linkage meanscomprise pantograph means, said rod means being integral with a firstbar of said pantograph means, said counterweight being sustained by asecond bar of said pantograph means pivotally connected to said firstbar.
 3. A mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising guide meansto guide said counterweight along a line substantially perpendicular tosaid longitudinal direction and passing substantially through said pivotaxis and the center of inertia of said collector head, said pivot axisbeing arranged intermediate said counterweight and said collector head,said linkage means being adapted to cause said counterweight to movealong said line in a direction opposed to the direction of movement ofsaid collector head.
 4. A mechanism according to claim 3, said guidemeans comprising a tubular guiding arm pivotally mounted on said pivotaxis and in telescoping relationship with said rod means and saidcounterweight.
 5. A mechanism according to claim 4, said linkage meanscomprising endless flexible belt means having a first side secured tosaid counterweight and a second side engaging said rod means.
 6. Avehicle comprising A mechanism according to claim 1, said rod meanscomprising an arm extending laterally from said vehicle to support saidcollector head.
 7. A vehicle according to claim 6, said arm extendingnormally substantially horizontally from said vehicle.
 8. A vehicleaccording to claim 6, further comprising a stream-lined housing for saidarm.
 9. An electrical distribution and current-collecting system for avehicle guided along a trackway, comprising three equidistanttriangularly disposed current supplying conductor rails extendingparallelly to said trackway and defining a passageway for a collectorhead laterally of said vehicle, a collector head having a longitudinalrow of contact shoes for each conductor rail adapted for sliding contacttherewith within said passageway, a support arm extending substantiallyhorizontally from said vehicle and having an end swingably connected tosaid collector head substantially in the center of inertia thereof, theopposed end portion of said arm being connected to a balanced supportmechanism carried by said vehicle and tending to maintain said collectorhead in neutral equilibrium within said passageway.